


The Steps to Genuine.

by tigercry



Series: This Romantic Comedy Is a Major Success [3]
Category: Oregairu | My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (Book), やはり俺の青春ラブコメはまちがっている。 | My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (Anime)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Multi, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, beginning of a romance, trio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:33:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25381651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigercry/pseuds/tigercry
Summary: It's impossible to love two people at the same time in a romantic manner. Or… at least that's what Yui was taught from a young age, but a drawn-out argument about the student council leaves Yui reeling. Wondering how it was possible and what exactly to do. Followed directly by "Different Meanings of Genuine."
Relationships: Hikigaya Hachiman/Yuigahama Yui, Hikigaya Hachiman/Yuigahama Yui/Yukinoshita Yukino, Hikigaya Hachiman/Yukinoshita Yukino, Yuigahama Yui/Yukinoshita Yukino
Series: This Romantic Comedy Is a Major Success [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1838071
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	The Steps to Genuine.

**Author's Note:**

> Title: The Steps to Genuine
> 
> Summary: It's impossible to love two people at the same time in a romantic manner. Or… at least that's what Yui was taught from a young age, but a drawn-out argument about the student council leaves Yui reeling. Wondering how it was possible and what exactly to do.
> 
> Episode Base: Season two Episode Six to Eight
> 
> Characters: Yukino, Yui.

The awkwardness wasn't supposed to happen. Technically none of it was supposed to happen. It wasn't like Yui meant for the conversation to go there, nobody planned stuff like that. After all, Yukino was hard to get riled up in the first place, even harder to get upset and actually deal with her emotions.

Yui's amber eyes flickered to the gentle resigned smile on her best friend's face as they talked a mindless conversation. Both of them only spoke like this to keep up appearances and make it easier on Hachiman when they both had noticed how the change in the dynamic between them all affected the loner boy.

Yukino's expression was lightly curious with the same smile she had worn since what had happened after the results of the student council elections. But Yui could see beneath the perfect mask, months of being around the other girl all the time and watching her let her walls down around her, which despite Yukino's efforts obviously couldn't be perfectly repaired to escape Yui's eyes.

She could see the swirling resignation, loneliness and hurt lying beneath Yukino's mask, and couldn't help but feel guilty, believing that she had a lot to do with it. After all, she had been the one to make it awkward between them both.

_《Just After Hachiman Revealed the election results》_

"It's complicated because I have _feelings for both of you_!" Yukino's outburst stunned Yui into silence, the black haired girl's fists were shaking and tears threatened to escape her blue eyes, "both you and Hachiman Yui."

"B-Both…" Yui blinked, shocked, "both of us?" Her voice was shaking a little, the shock of the outburst and revelation making her heart skip a beat for some odd reason.

Yukino's emotions were visibly all over the place, the usually reserved girl not taking the time to really think about what she was saying.

Not that Yui blamed her, they had been arguing for close to twenty-minutes, Yui blocking the door and Yukino too kind and cautious to just push her out of the way to escape the situation.

"Both of you," Yukino confirmed in a shaking voice, gripping one of her sleeves and looking down at the floor in front of her feet.

Yui took a moment to wrap her head around it all. How had an argument about the whole running for student council president thing end up with Yukino spilling the details of the only thing she had never told anything to Yui about? Even during the many sleepovers and hanging out together being good friends Yukino had never revealed anything about her crush and or romantic interests.

Until now, standing in the clubroom arguing for almost twenty-minutes about a stupid school election and their reasons behind attempting it at all. Apparently standing in front of one of them, Yui, with Yukino's usual composure in shattered pieces littered around them.

Yukino was in love with Hachiman, okay sure, Yui had pieced that together by the way she acted around him. But she was in love with her too?! Yukino Yukinoshita, the smart, cool and collected club leader was in love with Yui the klutzy girl who seemed to be frequently on her nerves?

Part of her was flattered, part of her was flustered and embarrassed, and Yui was surprised to find that another, bigger part of her, wasn't surprised. That part of her seemed to have known already that her best friend was in love with her, and it accepted it. In fact… it seemed to be jumping for joy and making her want to blurt out a few words and or move toward her and…

Yui's cheeks went rather red, she'd never been kissed before or kissed anyone, and yet… Standing here in front of a very vulnerable looking and lightly trembling Yukino she wanted to. However, it didn't make much sense, she was in love with Hachiman, not Yukino… right?

How could Yukino be in love with both of them at the same time? Weren't people only supposed to fall in love one at a time? If that was true how could Yukino be harboring feelings for both of them and has been just letting them strengthen and simmer silently?

Yukino seemed to be beginning to get herself together by the swift tensing up of her shoulders and the further ducking of her head. Her earlier trembling became a little deeper and more visible as she stood there, and a few moments later Yui realized that she was likely waiting for a response from her.

How was she supposed to respond? She didn't know if she had the same feelings for Yukino as Yukino herself did. If she wasn't very sure what was she supposed to say to her?

Yukino didn't give her any longer to respond, rather the other girl dipped into a low bow by the waist and spoke, her voice shaking with various emotions. "I apologize, I never meant to do something like this to you. Please excuse my unplanned words and forgive me. Just forget what I said." Her voice changed into a plea, "please… This was never supposed to happen."

Something in her words made Yui feel an overwhelming amount of hurt and she spoke without thinking, "what do you mean was never supposed to happen, Yukino? You were never planning on telling me that you're in love with me?"

Yukino flinched and Yui saw her shoulders scrunch up her face hidden by her long black hair and bangs.

"Why? Why would you never tell me?" Yui asked, hurt that her best friend wouldn't tell her something that was obviously bothering her beneath the surface. "How am I supposed to help you Yukinon if you don't tell me?"

The nickname seemed to pull Yukino back a little into the normal world and she hesitantly stood up straight, avoiding looking at Yui and anxiously tugging on one of the long locks of her fringe. "I don't… I was not going to tell you because I never want to lose my only best friend," Yukino's voice was tiny, barely audible.

Yui's heart dropped and she couldn't help it.

"W-what?" Yukino's shaking voice was particularly shaken and confused.

Yui had run across the room and threw herself into a tight hug around Yukino. Pinning her arms to her body and hugging her tightly with her head buried in Yukino's shoulder. "You call Hikki an idiot Yukinon, but you're one too."

"Excuse me-?"

"Just listen," Yui replied as she cut her off, "I wouldn't abandon you because you told me you have feelings for me, I mean," she pulled back enough to be able to effectively see Yukino's face, "you're still my best friend."

The following look in Yukino's usually calculative eyes made Yui's heart sink however as she opened her mouth and Yui pulled back, standing near her but not touching her.

"I know what you're going to ask," Yui spoke gently, "but… I don't have an answer for you yet Yukinon… I don't know what I feel right now, I'm…" the immediate shut down of Yukino's face and blank appearance of her eyes nearly broke Yui's warm heart, but she didn't want to lie to her. This was the one time Yui would take a page out of Yukino's book and say what needed to be said, no matter the consequences. Yui reached for Yukino's sleeve, wanting to make her feel better but knowing it had to be said,"...sorry Yukinon…"

Yukino pulled her arm away from her, using it to briefly fold her arms rather protectively over her chest and taking a step back and letting her arms fall to her sides. Then however her composure was back beyond the slight watering of her eyes. She coughed lightly into a hand to clear her throat and spoke, Yui's heart aching at the hurt Yukino was obviously fighting very hard to hide and keep from her. "Then nothing has changed," she spoke briskly, her tone having a sharp sense of finality in it, "we are still friends, and Hi-Hachiman is an irritating pessimist of an acquaintance."

"We're best friends," Yui lamely replied, unable to help but wonder if she had made the wrong choice here.

"Of course," Yukino replied, with Yui's first introduction to a soft resigned smile on her beautiful face. "Although Hachiman is still not my friend, he is yours."

Yui got the message Yukino had hidden between the lines. 'He's yours' had a dual meaning to both of them and the guilt hit like a truck, even if Yukino hadn't meant for her to feel guilty. The message Yui recieved was that Yukino was giving up on her feelings for Hachiman, just like her feelings for Yui herself as well. Yukino would be nothing to them besides be their friend, and she'd help Yui if she asked and she'd do what she always did.

"I should get going now," Yukino picked up her bookbag from it's usual table, "come on, the sun has almost finished setting."

Yui followed her lead, picking up her bag and following her till they reached the school's courtyard. Where she grabbed the back of Yukino's jacket, forcing them both to come to a stop.

Yukino looked over her shoulder at her, wordlessly asking her what she wanted.

The words weighing on her mind since Yukino's comment about Hachiman escaped Yui's lips without thinking. "I'm sorry… I'm really sorry Yukino…"

Yukino tilted her head slightly to one side in her typical endearing gesture of confusion, "about what Yui? The heart is a fickle thing as many authors out there have stated with clear evidence, there's no reason to blame yourself."

"But-"

Yukino sighed in an exasperated fashion, her usual self quickly reappearing and she seemed to have already bounced back from the whole incident, but Yui knew better.

She knew Yukino didn't just recover from stuff like this. Yui knew Yukino was much more sensitive and than most people knew, and she knew Yukino would likely go home and fiddle with the guitar she had gotten after the cultural festival when it crossed her mind or just work harder in her studies till it doesn't bother her anymore in that moment.

"There are no 'buts' about it Yui." Yukino explained as she turned enough that Yui could see her face and the same soft resigned smile from earlier, "we're still friends and that's what I care about."

 _No you don't,_ Yui couldn't get the words out, _you want more than that Yukino… I know you do..._

_《Present Time》_

Usually they'd be talking right now.

Yui chatting about something or other with Yukino listening and responding in turn with a book open in her hands while most of her attention was actually on the other girl, but today, like the new norm, they were silent.

There was a week until Christmas and Yui hadn't properly answered Yukino's accidental confession. Leading to some additional awkwardness on top of the new silence.

"Have you thought it over?" Yukino spoke as though it was a casual conversation topic, "I would prefer to have a solid answer."

"Even…" Yui felt the lump in her throat thicken as she spoke, "even if it's a no?"

"Even if it is the answer I naturally would not want to hear, yes," Yukino responded in her usual calm and blunt tone of voice as she flipped a page in her book. "'Any form of knowledge is better than speculation,' source, myself."

The light touch or the overconfidence Yukino was known for eased the tension in the room a little and Yui looked up from her phone and at the other girl. Amber eyes briefly wandering over her face and pink dusted cheeks before she looked back down at her phone. Mulling over what she was going to say, what she felt, and the situation as a whole.

Yui admired Yukino, that was well known to both of them. Yukino was her best and closest friend; the kind of friend that would do whatever possible to help you in a time of need, major or minor, stay by your side no matter the situation, and back you up and save you from any situation you can't get yourself out of by yourself. Yui valued Yukino as much as anyone else she knew even above Hachiman, and… if Yukino left, it would definitely tear her apart.

But… was she anything else to her beyond that best friend?

It was made even more confusing with the addition of her feelings for Hachiman and the worldly stereotypes and social standards that had molded her thought process and ethics. She had romantic feelings for Hachiman, so wasn't it impossible for her to have feelings for Yukino? Yukino seemed to prove that concept wrong by her confession after the student council results, but was that just a fluke? Or was it possible for Yui to feel the same way? After all, Yukino was more important than even her family and… if she had to choose between her or Hachiman in how close she felt with them Yukino beat Hachiman by a land-slide.

"Don't feel as though your answer has to be said now," Yukino's words broke through Yui's deep thoughts, the other girl's voice was cool but Yui could hear the traces of guilt in her tone. "An 'I'm not sure' is still an acceptable answer even now."

Relief washed over Yui before the guilt followed and she clenched her fists, "you deserve an answer Yukinon, it's the least I can do."

"No," the word startled the amber-eyed girl and she stared at Yukino as the other girl continued speaking. "The least you can do is give it some good thought and remain my friend," Yukino explained as she flipped the page of her book, "no matter the answer."

Yui blinked, "Yukinon," she started, confusion overtaking her tone of voice, "that doesn't-"

"Relationships are built off of the original friendships between participating people," Yukino explained, cutting Yui off in a polite but swift manner, "so thereby those who are in a relationship with one another, share a close friendship beneath the extra activities, status, alongside the details contained within the romantic relationship itself."

"So with that," Yukino looked up from her book and made eye contact with Yui. Silver-blue eyes cool and calm, "no matter your answer," a shy smile crossed her features, "you'll still be my friend."

Yui felt her heart jump and she smiled before the guilt set in and the smile melted into a thick frown, her amber eyes conflicted and confused. "But… if I say I don't know or even no, won't that hurt you Yukinon?"

With a soft snap Yukino closed her book and tucked a stray lock of black hair behind her ears, giving Yui her full attention. "Perhaps it'll hurt for a little while," Yukino relented, "however," she gave Yui a rather firm look, "as long as our friendship remains Yui, I'll be okay." Silver-blue eyes softened at the edges at Yui's concern, "so let your worries about myself go and instead focus on what you want, okay?"

"Okay," Yui spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. Feeling immensely touched by Yukino's words and hidden promise. Yui looked back at her phone, an unknowingly whisper of a smile on her lips.

"Besides," Yukino opened up her book and began reading once again, "I've gathered from our conversation that you're currently unsure of what your final answer will be."

Yui ducked her head a little, feeling mildly ashamed for not having an answer for her best friend.

"Yui," Yui felt slender fingers brush over the collar of her uniform near her shoulder, "relax," Yukino murmured, her fingers moving skillfully over the white cloth and effectively straightening her messy collar. "Remember, do not feel pressured to respond right now, I apologize for making it seem as though you had to have an answer right this very moment. Take your time, don't overthink it too much."

"Okay, thank you Yukino…" Yui murmured, keeping her head down.

Yukino didn't verbally respond, but Yui heard the short screeching of a chair being moved closer before she felt the backs of Yukino's fingers brush against the fingertips of the hand holding onto her phone. Yukino's shy but reserved way of comforting her and Yui's heart swelled with a sense of gratitude as she briefly pushed her fingers against hers and leaned toward her till her shoulder and forearms brushed the other girl's.

And they stayed that way for a little while, silently taking in each other's presences and a sense of warm comfort from the contact of their sides brushing.

That was until after a minute or so where they startled and jumped apart at the sound of the clubroom door pushing it's way open with an aura of determination.

* * *

**Continued in...**

Different Meanings of Genuine


End file.
